Era of Darkness
by SK Dark Dragon
Summary: Three months after the death of the Pharaoh and his priests, a new enemy still lurks in the darkness of ancient Eygpt, the scattered Millennium Items his new targets. -Read and Review!-
1. Chapter One: Memories

The Era of Darkness  
  
Notes: This is sort of a mini-sequel to Ancient Lies, but it isn't necessary to have read that one first. If you haven't read Ancient Lies, this is set in Ancient Egypt, just after the defeat of Bakura and the death of the Pharaoh and his priests. Anzu is Tea's ancient self, and Ryuji is Duke's ancient self. ^^;  
  
"We don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! Or any of its characters, but we do own Amber and Pearl. And if you read our series, this story might fill in some gaps and answer a few questions, particularly about the modern Pearl and her pearl. ^_~  
  
The beginning paragraph is from Amber's point of view. Enjoy!  
  
***********  
  
Chapter One: Memories  
  
It's been three long months since the death of the nameless Pharaoh and his priests...and the evil Bakura, but life hasn't become peaceful for we, the villagers of the nameless Pharaoh's former kingdom. With his death, and no priests or relatives left to take over, a proper new Pharaoh has not yet been chosen, and neighboring countries are attacking our now weak kingdom.  
  
And now...we struggle against a new evil...  
  
**********  
  
"Amber!"  
  
Amber looked up from where she had been trying to patch a hole in one of the skirts she owned as a young white-haired girl came flying into their small house, teary-eyed. Amber raised an eyebrow.  
  
"What's wrong, Pearl?" she sighed, addressing her younger sister, who sniffled as she ran over to Amber, lifting her skirt up over her knee.  
  
"Some man ran his cart by really fast and I tripped!" she sobbed, pointing to a ground-burn on her knee, a pearl she wore around her neck swinging back and forth over her shirt.  
  
Amber sighed.  
  
After her parents had mysteriously disappeared a few months before, Amber and her husband, Ryuji, had taken in Pearl to care for her, as well as a young boy from the streets named Mokuba.  
  
"Wasn't Mokuba with you?" Amber asked, surprised Mokuba would let Pearl wander around by herself, especially considered the times...  
  
There was a panting noise from the door, and a young, black-haired boy staggered in, looking worn out.  
  
  
  
"I was with her, but she was running ahead," he replied, gasping for breath as he collapsed on his mat on the floor.  
  
Amber turned back to Pearl with a sighed.  
  
"You need to be more careful, Pearl," she said sternly to the girl, who sniffled. "I said you could go out and play IF you listened to Mokuba."  
  
Pearl bowed her head slightly.  
  
"Sorry, Amber," she apologized. "But Mokuba's no fun. All his does is mope around."  
  
Amber cast a silencing look at her sister. She'd taken Mokuba in after his best friend, one of the Pharaoh's priests, had died, leaving the boy rather lonely, despite his cheerful and caring new guardians and Pearl's company, if it could be called that.  
  
"Sorry, Mokuba," Pearl sighed, sniffing.  
  
Mokuba shrugged.  
  
"It doesn't matter," he muttered, looking out the window as a few soldiers walked down the streets, swords attached to their belts. "Has a new Pharaoh been chosen?" he asked Amber, as he did every day.  
  
Amber sighed.  
  
"No, not yet," she replied, standing up and finishing off the patch over the skirt. "It seems they are afraid to elect a leader before all the evils from the attacks before the Pharaoh's death are defeated."  
  
  
  
Mokuba blinked.  
  
"Like that man with a mask you were talking about to Ryuji earlier?" Mokuba asked, tilting his head curiously.  
  
Pearl's eyes watered.  
  
"Man with a mask?!" she cried, turning to Amber. "Amber! What's Mokuba talking about?!"  
  
Amber sighed, patting Pearl's shoulder.  
  
"Pearl, go play with the other children near the house, all right?" she told her, looking into her sister's brown eyes seriously. "And don't wander off again."  
  
  
  
Pearl put her hands on her hips.  
  
"What is Mokuba talking about?" she demanded, but at that moment, Ryuji walked in, carrying his basket of things that did not sell at the marketplace.   
  
Ryuji was a goldsmith by trade, but lately had taken to selling things at the market place rather than making new ones due to lack of sales. It seemed that most were staying off the streets during the past few months.  
  
Ryuji sighed, setting the basket down in the corner of the house, Pearl sighing and stomped out the door. No one would answer her question now that Ryuji was home, she thought to herself. Secretly, she was a little scared of the man, since she knew nothing about him except that he had married her older sister, which was very little.  
  
"Bad day?" Amber prodded softly.  
  
Ryuji sighed.  
  
"It wasn't the best," he replied, looking around. "And the word on the streets is that Arkana is back, and near the village, too."  
  
Mokuba's ears perked up.  
  
  
  
"That magician who helped kidnap the Pharaoh, and stole some of those Millennium Items?" he asked eagerly, turning to Amber and Ryuji.  
  
Amber nodded. She seemed to think Mokuba was mature enough to hear the scary news from the village. Pearl, however, was a different story. Having led a sheltered life up until recently, Amber doubted the young girl needed to hear these kinds of things, despite the fact she and Mokuba were very close in age.  
  
Ryuji nodded.  
  
"Yes," he replied. "He seems to be trying to get the remaining items..."  
  
His eyes wandered over to one of the only pieces of furniture in the whole house, a small table, on which lay a golden box with the eye of Horus on it. Inside were the shattered pieces of the Millennium Puzzle, the item that had once belonged to the Pharaoh.  
  
Try as he may, Ryuji had never been able to piece it back together again and form the real Millennium item. Both he and Mokuba had tried at it, to no avail. Now it simply sat on the little table in their little house, collecting dust.  
  
Mokuba followed Ryuji's gaze and understood what he meant.  
  
"You mean he's going to come for the puzzle, right?" Mokuba asked, tilting his head to the side.  
  
Ryuji sighed, picking up the golden box carefully, as if it were still the Pharaoh's.  
  
"Yes..." he murmured, running his hands over the golden surface of the box. "I think he will indeed come for the puzzle."  
  
Amber hissed, standing up, smoothing down her white skirt.  
  
"Well then we'll defend it," she declared, looking at Ryuji seriously. "After all, that's what we said we'd do when we accepted it, right?"  
  
Ryuji sighed, placing the box back on the table. He looked up at Amber and Mokuba seriously.  
  
"Sometimes I wish I'd never taken the puzzle," he told them honestly, looking over at it. "We can't put it together, and we don't have much to protect it with."  
  
Amber narrowed her eyes.  
  
"We have our Ka," she pointed out, knowing that both she and Ryuji had learned over the years how to summon out the Ka in their souls to protect them with.  
  
Mokuba and Pearl hadn't been able to summon their Kas yet, making them even more vulnerable. Ryuji, however, didn't look convinced.  
  
"Yes, but we're dealing with an insane magician master," he replied, sighing. "It's not so much the puzzle I'm afraid for. I don't want anything to happen to you two or Pearl."  
  
Amber sighed, letting his head shoulders sag.  
  
"Then what do you propose we do?" she asked, Mokuba sighing and turning away from the conversation, although still listening attentively.  
  
"Well," Ryuji began, sounds of Pearl and the other children of the village playing outside coming in the windows. "The young embalmer started the Gravewatcher's association, for protecting the items. They currently are protecting the rod and the necklace, and perhaps they'd take the puzzle as well."  
  
Amber bit her lip as Ryuji put a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"I know we could give it to them..." Amber sighed at last, looking out through the window at the village. "But we have to take a part in this battle too. And besides," she said sadly, looking up at Ryuji. "You're bound to be attacked while delivering the puzzle. Those magicians know where Millennium Items are and can detect them, I've heard."  
  
Ryuji nodded, looking back over at the box on the table.  
  
"I suppose you're right..." he murmured at last, walking back over to his basket that he'd brought home. "We'll just have to keep our eyes open, I suppose."  
  
Amber nodded, trying to put on a smile again.  
  
"True," she agreed as Ryuji pulled out a few flat loaves of bread that he'd brought home for dinner. "Mokuba, go call in Pearl and tell her it's time to eat."  
  
Mokuba nodded, heaving a sigh and walking outside. As he stared up at the orange summer sunset, he felt his eyes prickle again, just as they had off and on for the past few months.  
  
"It's silly," he told himself sternly every time it happened. "Crying won't bring him back to life."  
  
But all the same, the sunset reminded him of the few days when he and the priest walked along through the papyrus, just talking, laughing, and being together. Living on the streets, Mokuba hadn't had many friends, but the high priest of the Pharaoh had taken a liking to him, and the two had become good friends.  
  
"But now..." Mokuba began, but cut himself off as he swallowed hard, trying to block out the memories he loved. "Pearl?" he called, looking around, not seeing the white-haired girl. "Pearl? It's time to eat!"  
  
A man hurried by, holding a basket of bread, and a few women were running toward their own homes, holding baskets of laundry over their heads, hoping to get home before darkness fell and the streets became no longer safe.  
  
"Pearl?" Mokuba asked again, blinking.  
  
There was no sign of the girl, or any of the other children anywhere. Mokuba shivered, wondering if she'd run off again...or if something worse had happened to her.  
  
***********   
  
End of Chapter 1  
  
^_^ Okay, what did you think?  
  
"Review, and let us know! And we'll have the next chapter up in a few days, okay? ^-^"  
  
Red: Yeah, don't yell at us if we're a bit slow. XP We're working on our main YGO fic at the same time here. 


	2. Chapter Two: Attack

Chapter Two: Attack  
  
Notes: ^_^ Thanks for reviewing!  
  
"And here's chapter two!"  
  
**********  
  
Chapter Two: Attack  
  
Mokuba shivered as he walked out onto the dirt streets, looking right and left, beginning to get worried.  
  
"Pearl!?" he yelled again, a man riding a horse nearly running him down as he hurried out of the way. "Pearl! Where are you?!"  
  
Suddenly, he heard a giggling sound, and he angrily fought his way through the papyrus stalks, trying to find the source of the noise. A few moments later, he came face to face with Pearl, who looked giggly.  
  
"Hi...Mokuba!" she said cheerily. "We're being spies. Want to play?"  
  
Mokuba frowned as the other children around her nodded eagerly, all wanting to recruit Mokuba to their spy-team.  
  
"No, I don't want to play," Mokuba replied sternly, taking Pearl's arm and tugging her toward the house. "It's time for dinner, and besides. You're not allowed to play in here without an adult around. The same goes for everyone else. It's not safe..."  
  
The other children groaned, their cheerful faces vanishing in an instant.  
  
"Come on, Mokuba," One sighed, standing up and brushing off her slip. "You never want us to have any fun."  
  
Mokuba resented that statement, but he knew it was true. But it wasn't like he didn't WANT everyone to have a good time. It was just...there were more important things to worry about at the time. Like attacks. And safety. And playing in the papyrus swamps was definitely not a good way to keep everyone safe.  
  
"That's not true..." Mokuba began, but a boy suddenly hissed and motioned for everyone to be quiet.  
  
"Quiet," he murmured, motioning for them to come over. "There're two men talking a little ways away from here."  
  
Pearl pulled her arm out of Mokuba's slackening grip and hurried over.  
  
"Yay! Let's be spies and listen," she said eagerly, the others hurrying over to join them.  
  
Mokuba bit his lip.  
  
"Those men could be bad," he hissed, trying to make his way through the bunch of kids to Pearl. "And it's time for dinner! You'll make Amber and Ryuji nervous if you don't come back now!"  
  
"Shush, Mokuba," One of the boys hissed, everyone straining their ears to hear what the two men were discussing.  
  
"So tonight, master?" Came one of the men's voice through the bushes.  
  
The other man, his face covered with a mask, nodded.  
  
"Yes, as soon as the sun is down and the villagers are unaware," he murmured. "We'll raid the woman's house who has taken custody of the key, and then we'll use its powers to raid the Gravewatcher's place for the rod and necklace."  
  
The other man nodded, laughing slightly.  
  
"Then all that's left to do is take the puzzle from that poor goldsmith's shack," he finished for the masked-man. "Then we...I mean, YOU will have all the power you need to control Egypt."  
  
The masked man nodded.  
  
"True," he replied. "But don't mess this up. Tell the others to kill all who get in their way. Let NO ONE escape. We can't let word of these attacks get out to the unaware. It is a large advantage to keep the victim in the dark about such things."  
  
  
  
"Are they playing a game or something?" A little boy asked, Mokuba's eyes widening.  
  
Pearl backed up, feeling uneasy.  
  
"They're just playing, right Mokuba?" she asked, nervously.  
  
Mokuba clapped his hand over Pearl's mouth, dragging her away. Silently, he moved toward the exit, motioning for the others to follow. The boy who had spotted the two men in the first place grabbed the youngest boy's hand and started to pull him toward the exit of the papyrus swamps as well.  
  
"But why are we leaving?" The little boy whined, loudly.  
  
There was a silence for a moment and then a sharp movement from a few feet away.  
  
"Someone was listening, master," The assistant murmured, walking forward, pulling out something from his pocket.  
  
"Kill them," The masked man replied, turning away.  
  
Mokuba bit his lip, running forward, dragging Pearl behind him, not concerned with whether or not he made any noise anymore. The two men were sure to have heard the boy, and were probably right behind them.  
  
~Kill all who get in your way. Let no one escape...~  
  
"Hurry up, Pearl!" Mokuba hissed pulling her out of the papyrus and pushing her forward and into the road. "Go to the house and don't stop until you get there!"  
  
Pearl looked stunned, and merely backed up into the middle of the road as Mokuba pulled out another girl, who took off for her home. The rustling in the bushes grew nearer and nearer, and Mokuba knew that the follower was probably almost there.  
  
"Hurry up!" Mokuba yelled, pulling the last two boys out of the papyrus and shoving them toward the village. "Go home, Pearl!" he yelled at the girl, who was still staring wide-eyed at Mokuba.  
  
Mokuba growled in annoyance, sprinting away from the rustling stalks of papyrus and grabbing the white-haired girl's wrist.  
  
"Run!" he yelled, hurrying toward the house, dragging Pearl along with him.  
  
Back in the papyrus stalks, the man who had been talking smirked, turning around to face his other followers, all of whom had assembled by this time.  
  
"Our cover has been lifted, and now is the time to begin the raid," he announced, adjusting his mask. "Go at once to the woman's house for the key and the Gravewatcher's association to take the two items there."  
  
As the majority of the group, snickering and pulling out their weapons, preparing for a fight walked off, the masked man raised an eyebrow at three younger members of his allegiance.  
  
"Bones, wait a moment," he called hastily, snapping his fingers as the three boys stopped, the smallest boy, Bones, looking up at the masked man with wide eyes.  
  
  
  
"Yes, master Arkana?" he asked, bowing his head slightly in respect. "You wanted me?"  
  
Arkana nodded, staring out at the three from behind his mask. Beside him was a young woman who looked to be about fourteen, her face concealed by a dark mask as well, her long black hair flowing down her shoulders as she stood by the man's side.  
  
"Yes, I have a special job for you and your two friends here," he announced, Bones exchanging excited glances with his two comrades. "I want you and the other two to pay a visit to the goldsmith who lives just outside of these papyrus stalks. He possesses the pieces of the Millennium Puzzle, which I need."  
  
Bones nodded eagerly.  
  
"We won't disappoint you, Master Arkana," His red-haired friend promised, grinning. "We'll attack that shack and have the puzzle pieces before the goldsmith even knew what hit him."  
  
Arkana nodded seriously, flapping his cape back as he turned to leave, the young woman beside him following.  
  
"I trust that you'll be able to handle this," he said coldly before disappearing into the papyrus in the darkening evening air.  
  
Bones looked up at his friend, grinning broadly.  
  
"Finally! A chance to prove ourselves to Master Arkana!" he cried, feeling excited. "Taking out a goldsmith and stealing a few puzzle pieces is going to be simple!"  
  
His darker-haired friend nodded, frowning.  
  
"Be as that may, we still should be careful," he reminded Bones. "Like you said yourself, this is probably our one and ONLY chance to prove ourselves to Master Arkana."  
  
"That's right, Sygore," The red-haired one agreed, narrowing his eyes. "But we won't fail."  
  
"Right, Sid!" Bones declared, clenching a fist. "We'll get those pieces no matter what!"  
  
************  
  
Amber's eyes narrowed as she looked around outside for some sign of the two children, but neither was in sight. Swallowing, she turned to go ask Ryuji what could be keeping them when she noticed a group of shady-looking figures stalking toward the old embalmer's grounds.  
  
Narrowing her eyes, she turned toward the house.  
  
"Ryuji?" she called, not tearing her eyes away from the group of people, several of whom were carrying axes. "Ryuji?!"  
  
Ryuji blinked, looking outside at where Amber was staring into the distance, looking dazed. Raising an eyebrow, he walked over to her.  
  
"Something wrong, Amber?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.  
  
Amber nodded, looking nervously back at the black-haired man.  
  
"Yes, there's a group of strange people heading toward the Gravewatcher's place," she replied, swallowing. "It doesn't look good."  
  
Ryuji nodded, pulling out a sword that he carried on his belt.  
  
"All right then," he replied, walking toward the main road that led to the Gravewatcher's headquarters. "I'll go see what they're up to. You wait here and get the children inside."  
  
"Amber!" Came a worried voice from behind them, and both turned around to see a worried Mokuba running up to them, dragging Pearl along.  
  
"What is it?!" Amber cried, noticing their dirty clothes and scared expressions.  
  
"We heard some men talking in the papyrus about attacking the Gravewatcher's place and the rich woman who took the Millennium Key's place too and stealing the items!" Mokuba cried. "And then they're going to come for the puzzle!"  
  
Ryuji bit his lip, turning to Amber.  
  
"Amber, you stay with the children," he instructed, looking her in the eye seriously. "Can you handle protecting the puzzle from the hands of Arkana's followers?"  
  
Amber gritted her teeth. She knew she could handle it, but she would much rather take the puzzle with her and go with Ryuji, to make sure he didn't get cornered by several men and killed on his way to help, but she couldn't lead Mokuba and her sister right into the middle of a dangerous battle.  
  
"I can," she replied seriously. "But you won't be safe alone."  
  
"I'll be fine," Ryuji assured her, but Amber shook her head, her blue eyes narrowed.  
  
"No! I won't let you go do this alone," she cried, clenching her fists. "I can't leave Mokuba and Pearl, and I can't take them with me either. But I don't want you to go right into the heart of danger alone."  
  
Her eyes filled slightly with tears, which she immediately tried to blink away.  
  
"I don't want to lose you, Ryuji," she said softly, Pearl looking worriedly from her older sister to the man that was her husband, biting her lip.  
  
Mokuba narrowed his eyes, hearing shouts from across the village, and horse hooves and clanking of weapons.  
  
"I can take the puzzle," he declared, Amber and Ryuji looking down at the boy. "I'll take the puzzle and hide it under my cloak. That way Pearl and I can escape the village undetected and get away from here. Maybe we can catch up with that dancer's troop that left this morning and stay with them until this whole thing ends."  
  
Ryuji looked shocked.  
  
"No," he replied sternly. "I won't allow you to be putting yourself in danger when it is our duty."  
  
Mokuba clenched his fists as the sun continued to set behind the pyramids in the distance.  
  
"It's my duty too," he replied, almost to himself. "I'm eleven years old, and that's old enough to help. I have to be brave...and be stronger. Be like...he was..."  
  
Amber was taken back by the boy's words. She knew exactly what Mokuba meant. She'd practically told him that herself three months ago when the tragedy had just begun.  
  
~ "...you have to be stronger. You have to try to become as strong as he was..." ~  
  
Ryuji looked nervously into the shack at the puzzle on the table. It would help to get it out of the city, and then the children would be safe as well. He knew Anzu and her troop of dancers were trustworthy. If only it were as easy as it sounded...  
  
"All right," Ryuji said at long last, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. "I'll trust you with this, Mokuba."  
  
************  
  
End of Chapter Two  
  
REVIEW!  
  
Red: ^^; Yes, do. And next chapter up soon. Probably not as quickly as this one was, but soon, yes. 


	3. Chapter Three: Ka

Chapter Three: Ka  
  
Notes: ^_^ Sorry for not updating sooner. Here's the next chapter!  
  
Red: Yep!  
  
***********  
  
Chapter Three: Ka  
  
Mokuba and Pearl hurried down the darkening paths nearly twenty minutes later, Mokuba pulling Pearl along by her hand, his other hand supporting the tiny golden box that held the Millennium Puzzle, which he'd hidden under his shirt for safekeeping.  
  
~* "I'm trusting you with this Mokuba…"*~  
  
  
  
"Ryuji trusted me with Pearl and the Millennium Puzzle, and I'm not going to mess things up," The black-haired boy declared silently to himself. "This is MY chance to be brave…and make a difference in this battle."  
  
Pearl sniffled, looking rather irritated and scared as Mokuba dragged her along.  
  
"Why are we leaving the village?" she whined, Mokuba squeezing her hand harder than necessary.  
  
"Just be quiet and follow me," he hissed back at the white-haired girl, whose eyes watered.  
  
"Where are Amber and Ryuji going?" she demanded. "And why is it like we're keeping secrets and stuff?"  
  
Mokuba sighed, narrowing his grayish eyes as he ducked under a low-lying branch and continued forward out of the forest and into the open desert.  
  
"We're going to stay with Anzu and her troupe of dancers," he replied seriously, pulling her after him, remembering the kind, young dancer who had been with him when they saw…it. "And stay quiet or else they'll catch us."  
  
"WHO'S gonna catch us?!" Pearl cried, a tear rolling down her cheek. "Mokuba, you're scaring me!" she yelled, wrenching her arm out of his grasp, her body shaking as she sniffed.  
  
Mokuba sighed, stopping and turning around to face the younger girl, hoping that he'd be able to calm her down before she started to attract others toward their location.  
  
"Listen, I'm not trying to scare you, but you have to understand," Mokuba replied, placing his hands on her shoulders and looking down at her.  
  
Pearl glanced tearfully up at the black-haired boy, feeling more alone than she ever had before. Not only were her parents missing, but now she didn't even have Amber around. And although Mokuba was trying to help her, he was almost a stranger to her.  
  
"Understand what?" Pearl whispered.  
  
"That we're under attack," Mokuba replied, causing Pearl's eyes to widen. "Ever since the Pharaoh died, people have been taking advantage of Egypt's weakness and trying to raid our city especially for the Millennium Items."  
  
Pearl wiped a tear off her cheek, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Millennium Item?" she asked curiously. "You mean that little puzzle thing Ryuji always tries to put together at night?"  
  
Mokuba nodded hastily, casting a few nervous glances around to make sure no one was listening in on their conversation.  
  
"Yes, that's one of them," he replied quietly, narrowing his eyes. "That's why we have to get to Anzu's camp before Arkana and his gang can catch up with us. That is also why you need to be quiet."  
  
Pearl nodded slowly, feeling goosebumps rise on her arms as she shivered. So they were under attack…and Ryuji and Amber had wanted Mokuba and she out of the city before…  
  
"But what about Amber?" Pearl blurted out, her brown eyes growing wide again. "She's still in the city!"  
  
Mokuba sighed, nodding as he pulled Pearl along again.  
  
"I know," he replied solemnly. "But she and Ryuji are adults, so they know…how to handle themselves…"  
  
The boy trailed off, knowing very well that even an experienced adult could die unexpectedly. Swallowing hard, Mokuba gripped Pearl's hand tightly as they walked through the open desert together. Pearl could lose the only family she had in the world if something were to happen to Ryuji and Amber back in the city…but there was nothing Mokuba could do about that now.  
  
"I just need to keep Pearl safe and get this Millennium Puzzle to Anzu," he thought to himself determinedly. "Stay close, Pearl," he added in a directing voice to Pearl who was lagging behind.  
  
"Yes, stay close little girl," Came a shrieking voice from behind them, and Pearl gasped, letting go of Mokuba's hand and staggering backward in the sand as the black-haired boy whirled around to face three older boys; the same ones who had been talking with Arkana earlier.  
  
Bonz smirked, walking forward and taking note of the small bulging item hidden under Mokuba's off-white shirt.  
  
"So, the goldsmith trusts his little children with the great Millennium Puzzle, does he?" he taunted, Sid and Sygore cracking their knuckles as they surrounded the two.  
  
Pearl let out a frightened cry and moved closer to Mokuba.  
  
"Mokuba…" she choked out, her body trembling. "What do we do?"  
  
************  
  
Meanwhile, Amber bit her lip as she raced after Ryuji toward the Gravewatcher's building, her eyes nervous as they took a sharp turn down a back-alley behind a few shops.  
  
"They'll be fine," Amber told herself determinedly, flicking a stray strand of her brown hair behind her. "Mokuba knows how to handle himself, and Pearl should be safe with him."  
  
Ryuji suddenly gasped, skidding to a halt on the dusty roads, Amber raising an eyebrow as she slowed down to a stop beside him.  
  
"What is it?" she asked, looking nervously up at him, his dark green eyes narrowed at something in front of him.  
  
"They've found us," he muttered, Amber looking up to see several dark-clothed figures holding sharp weapons, each grinning in the light from a torch that one of them was supporting.  
  
"Well, well, well, the goldsmith," One murmured, grinning madly. "And his wife. Seems we've struck gold after all."  
  
The man laughed cruelly at his joke, Amber narrowing her blue eyes angrily, reaching down into a leather bag around her waist and pulling out two arrows. Ryuji pulled a small sword out of its leather sheath and held it in front of him.  
  
"Do you think we can take them?" Amber asked as she slipped her bow off her shoulder and prepared it.  
  
Ryuji smiled determinedly as Amber turned around, facing the black-clothed men behind them.  
  
"With a little help," he replied, closing his eyes, his body glowing slightly as a strange figure began to form in front of him, causing the black-clothed men of Arkana's to back up.  
  
"What kind of magic is this?" One cried out as Amber closed her eyes and began to glow as well, another figure forming in front of her.  
  
Ryuji grinned, his green eyes sparkling as the glow died down and in front of him stood a large man, his face covered by a metal mask as he raised a huge, diamond sword. Amber looked contently down at the large clamshell that had formed in front of her, the lid rising up to reveal a mint-haired mermaid, holding a bow nearly identical to Amber's.  
  
"This isn't magic," Amber declared, poising for battle.  
  
"These are Ka," Ryuji finished with a determined look on his face.  
  
************  
  
End of Chapter Three  
  
Review!!  
  
^_^!  
  
Red: ^_^!!!! I APPEARED! I APPEARED IN A STORY AGAIN!!!  
  
^_^; Yeah, you did Red. Review, and next chapter up (hopefully) within the next week. 


	4. Chapter Four: The Raid

**Chapter Four: The Raid  
**  
Notes: Okay! Chapter Four is [finally] up. Oh, and some of the battle scenes are a little bloody...so let me know if you think I should raise the rating to PG-13. (I probably don't need to, but just want to know your opinions.)  
  
Thanks for reviewing, and here we go!

* * *

**Chapter Four: The Raid  
**  
Mokuba glared at the boys who had just surrounded he and Pearl. They were all older by a few years, except the shortest boy, who looked as if he were about their age. Mokuba held the tiny box containing the Pharaoh's puzzle pieces close to him, making a silent vow to himself.  
  
"You died fighting for the Pharaoh," The black-haired boy thought, closing his eyes, remembering his old friend. "And I'll protect the Pharaoh's puzzle with my life."  
  
Pearl made a squeaky noise and gripped Mokuba's hand tightly.  
  
"Mokuba? What do we do?" she whispered.  
  
Mokuba glared at the three boys, who snickered at Pearl's innocent voice. Sygore stepped forward, grinning as he held a small knife in his hands.  
  
"We won't even need our Ka to defeat you children," he laughed, Pearl's eyes growing wide in fear.  
  
Mokuba glanced over to the papyrus brush beside them. In one swift movement, he jerked to right and fell into Pearl, causing her to trip and fall forward head-first into the brush. At the same moment, Sygore lunged, holding the knife tightly.  
  
"Yah!" Mokuba cried, the knife grazing his shoulder as he ducked underneath and ran toward the other two.  
  
Bonez gulped, not trusting his hand-to-hand combat skills against Mokuba. His body began to glow a light purple and a moment later, a huge zombie-like monster had appeared beside him.  
  
"Armored Zombie!" Bonez cried, the zombie letting out an inhuman roar, Mokuba skidding to halt.  
  
"Go, Medusa," Sid grinned, a snake-haired woman-like zombie appearing beside him.  
  
Sygore grinned, his body glowing yellow a large, round monster appearing, holding a circus stick like the kind acrobats used to entertain the Pharaoh.  
  
"Crass Clown," he declared, smirking as Mokuba backed up, his eyes growing wide.  
  
"I...won't back down..." he thought to himself, his promise pulsing in his mind as his heart raced.  
  
He heard a few noises in the brush and prayed that Pearl would either stay put or get lost. Meanwhile, however, the three boys and their Ka were surrounding the young boy, a dark crimson stain spreading over the shoulder of his beige shirt.  
  
"But how can I win?" Mokuba thought desperately, backing up, stumbling over a stone.

* * *

Across the village, unaware of the rally that had formed, Malik, former embalmer and now leader of the Gravewatcher's Association, smiled, looking down at a small carving, made entirely of stone.  
  
"It's perfect, Rishido..." he breathed, smiling and looking down at the flat carving with his purple eyes. "You made the details exactly as they were on the original stone tablet."  
  
Malik's eyes wandered over to the wall, where the original tablet that the miniature was based on hung. It was the only piece of information that remained of the Pharaoh of the 18th dynasty. As soon as he had died, it could not be explained, but the memories of the Pharaoh had vanished from everyone's mind.  
  
Rishido beamed.  
  
"It has a few flaws," he replied modestly. "I am glad you like it. I think it will serve nicely in one of the rooms where we gather downstairs."  
  
Malik smiled and nodded. Starting the Gravewatcher's was an impulsive decision that he and Rishido had made. Together, they had taken custody of the Millennium Rod and Necklace, and stored them away deep underground. Now, their mission was to keep the two items they were in charge of safe, and the memory of the Pharaoh alive for all time.  
  
"To me, it is perfect," Malik repeated, putting it down on a wooden table near a candle that was burning brightly.  
  
Stacks of papyrus scrolls were piled up underneath. They'd been trying to keep a record of their meetings and progress, but they hadn't gotten too far. In the three months that the organization had existed, they'd spent most of their time recruiting members and fighting off raiders from neighboring countries, trying to take advantage of a weakened nation.  
  
Suddenly, two men burst in from outside, carrying swords on their belts.  
  
"Sir!" One cried, running up and bowing respectfully in front of Malik. "Sir, there's been an attack reported. Dozens of mad hunters are attacking the village. Ka are being used and everything!"  
  
Rishido's eyes widened.  
  
"We should go help, should we not, Malik?" he asked, pulling a sword out from his belt as well.  
  
Malik nodded, narrowing his eyes.  
  
"Yes," he murmured. "I have a feeling this is no ordinary raid. If they have trained their Ka to emerge and battle, they can only be after one thing."  
  
Rishido nodded darkly.  
  
"The items."

* * *

Amber and Ryuji smiled as Red Archery Girl and Orgoth the Relentless began ruthlessly attacking the team of assailants.  
  
"It's working," Amber murmured, smiling slightly as Red's arrow pierced another attacker, causing him to fall to the ground, dead.  
  
Ryuji smirked.  
  
"I'll say," he muttered as a hand from behind him grabbed his neck. "What the...?!"  
  
Amber let out an involuntary scream as she realized one of the attackers had come up behind them and grabbed Ryuji's neck, trying to strangle him. Ryuji raised his shiny sword and slashed at the man, cutting through his arm.  
  
The assailant screamed in agony and backed up, Ryuji shoving the bloodied, detached arm off of his neck and onto the ground. Amber shivered just as a man from behind her came up and grabbed her shoulder roughly.  
  
"Get off!" she yelled, taking one of her own arrows and stabbing the man with it without even stringing it into her bow. "There's too many of them, Ryuji!" she yelled as several more approached her. "We don't have enough power alone!"  
  
Ryuji gritted his teeth, stands of his black hair dangling down in front of his face as he slashed at several more of their assailants.  
  
"I know!" he yelled back, Orgoth taking several blows and then killing another man for them. "But what can we do about it?"  
  
Amber's blue eyes shone with worry as she backed up against the wall, stringing and shooting her arrows as fast as she could at the attackers. One man leapt down from the building above her and blocked two arrows with his shield. Amber yelped as he ran straight toward her and slammed his shield into her chest.  
  
"Amber!" Ryuji cried, trying to get over to help, but he was too surrounded by more of the attackers to do anything of the sort.  
  
Amber wheezed as the man grinned nastily, pressing his shield deeper into her chest. Suddenly, a bright light flashed by and the man was practically lifted off his feet and thrown against the wall on the other side of the ally, pinned by an arrow.  
  
Red Archery Girl smiled, holding her bow and arrows in her hands proudly. The shield fell to the ground in front of Amber and she sighed, gasping as she strung another arrow into her bow and let it loose.  
  
"Thanks, Red," she murmured.

* * *

Bonez grinned.  
  
"You're dead!" he spat, smirking as he and his Armored Zombie approached the helpless boy. "You may as well just hand over that puzzle we know you have, and maybe we'll spare your life."  
  
Sid chuckled.  
  
"Or then again," he mused, looking of at Medusa, who had a horribly evil smirk on her face. "Maybe we won't."  
  
Mokuba narrowed his eyes, determined.  
  
"I will guard this puzzle with my life!" he snapped back, stepping back again, looking around for something to fight with. "You'll have to kill me before you can take it!"  
  
Sygore smirked, laughing as he shook his head.  
  
"It's your death-wish, kid," he laughed, pointing at Mokuba. "Now! Crass Clown!"  
  
Mokuba squeezed his eyes shut, preparing for the worst. He would die, yes, but he would die protecting the puzzle, protecting the Pharaoh, just like the high priest had. It was an honorable death.  
  
"Maybe...I'll see you in the afterlife..." The black-haired boy thought to himself, a breeze blowing by.  
  
"Armored Zombie!"  
  
"Medusa!" Sid yelled, the sound of evil cackles filling the air.  
  
"Atta...!" They all started, but were cut off by a shrill voice from behind them.  
  
"STOP!"  
  
Mokuba felt a cold sweat break out over his body as he opened his eyes. All three of the Ka were in front of him, grinning maliciously, weapons poised for the kill. But their masters had all turned to look behind them where white-haired Pearl, quivering in fear, stood.  
  
"Pearl! Get away!" Mokuba screamed, not wanting her to be dragged into this too.  
  
Amber would be very sad if her younger sister were to be killed. Mokuba didn't make a difference, after all, since he was only a street-child they'd taken in. But if Pearl hung around any longer, she would be slaughtered as well.  
  
"GO AWAY!" Mokuba repeated, his gray eyes narrowed at her.  
  
But Pearl stood her ground, shaking, her brown eyes watering as she held out something small and golden in her hands.  
  
"Take it..." she whispered, closing her eyes, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Just take it! Take it and leave us alone! Don't hurt Mokuba and don't hurt me!!" she screamed, more tears coming down her cheeks.  
  
Mokuba gasped, frozen in shock. When he'd shoved Pearl out of the way...she'd taken the box containing the Millennium Puzzle! How could he not have noticed! But she couldn't give it to them...!  
  
"Pearl, no....!" he started, but Bonez laughed, cutting him off.  
  
"Fine, brat," he chuckled, strolling over and snatching the puzzle box from the young girl, who fell to her knees, sobbing. "We'll just be on our way then. If you want to live, just stay out of our way."  
  
Sygore smirked, all three Ka disappearing as the three boys headed back toward the trail that Mokuba and Pearl had just taken to get there.  
  
"But you'll all be slaves under Master Arkana's rule soon enough anyway," he muttered, disappearing with the other three.

* * *

**End of Chapter Four**  
  
REVIEW! And next chapter up within the next week, hopefully. 


	5. Chapter Five: Unbelievable

**Chapter Five: Unbelievable**  
  
Notes: Thanks for reviewing! It's strange how without Red, Juri, and Koto, there's barely anything to say in these notes lately.  
  
Oh well. All you really want to know is that the new chapter is up.

* * *

**Chapter Five: Unbelievable**  
  
Mokuba stood there, stunned, staring at the sobbing Pearl, who was letting her glistening tears fall freely, staining her dress and face with the traces of sorrow and fear.  
  
"The...the puzzle..." Mokuba murmured, his gray eyes wide. "Pearl...how...could you..."  
  
Pearl shook her head, crying.  
  
"It was the only thing I could do..." she sobbed, sniffing.  
  
Mokuba's stun disappeared and was quickly replaced by anger. Clenching his fists, he glared at Pearl, looking at her sobbing figure in hatred. How could she have been so absurd as to GIVE the very thing they were meant to protect to the enemy?!  
  
"You're such an idiot!" Mokuba hollered, so loudly, that Pearl stopping crying and looked up at the boy with large, brown eyes. "I can't believe you! The very thing I was supposed to protect with my LIFE you go and gave to those guys like it was some kind of bargaining chip!"  
  
Pearl sniffed in, completely scared now. She backed up slightly in the sand as Mokuba advanced a little, his eyes full of rage.  
  
"You're such a sheltered little child that you have no idea what's going on in reality!" he continued to yell, tears forming in his own eyes. "Reality is cruel! There are people out there just like that ALL OVER THE PLACE that don't care about what happens to you. No, they could care LESS about what happens to you! They'll step all over you and kill you for what they want!"  
  
Tears starting falling down Pearl's cheeks again. Why was Mokuba acting like this...? She thought, scared.  
  
"People you love are snatched from you in an instant. Your whole life can change by one, evil person trying to get what they want. If you're in their way, you die. You try to stop it, you'll die even sooner," Mokuba said angrily, looking down at his fist which was clenched tightly in front of him, a tear trickling down his face.  
  
"The only way I could become as strong as the priest was to act like him," The young boy whispered, a breeze blowing by. "And I had sworn to protect that puzzle with my life, just like he protected the Pharaoh with his life. And then you go and ruin it for EVERYONE! Now, not just you and me are going to die; if they get their hands on all the items, EVERYONE is as good as dead! And it's all your fault!!"  
  
Pearl burst into sobs and leapt to her feet, blindly running away from the boy. Her feet sunk into the sand cause her to lose her footing, but she didn't care. She just wanted to get away, away from Mokuba and away from everything else. It was all too much.  
  
She hurried into the brush where Mokuba had thrown her and kept on running. Mokuba panted, unclenching his fists and taking in deep breaths. She could go get herself into trouble if she wanted, he thought to himself. I'm tired of being responsible for her actions.  
  
What concerned the boy now was how he was going to get the puzzle box back. He knew he had to go after the boys, but what kind of weapon could he use? It seemed like a hopeless case for a young boy with no defensive training to try to assault a group of Ka-wielding and skilled young men.  
  
A breeze blew by, ruffling the few trees that were around and blowing Mokuba's sweaty bangs back. Sighing, the boy closed his gray eyes, taking in the wind.  
  
"Please...please help me," he whispered, his mind focused on one thing.  
  
There was a strange change in the wind, and Mokuba opened his eyes, looking around. The atmosphere around him seemed...different, in a way. The wind seemed gentle, and familiar. Comforted by the wind's new feel, Mokuba looked around, wondering what could have caused this.  
  
"Hello?" he asked cautiously, wondering if this was some kind of effect of another Ka.  
  
_You can do it..._  
  
Mokuba blinked, looking around wildly. That voice, he'd heard it! He was here!  
  
"Priest?!" Mokuba cried, darting back and forth wildly, hoping to see him somewhere, smiling. "Where are you?!"  
  
_Your will is strong, and your promise will prevail. Follow your instincts, and you will be able to do what you could never imagine yourself doing...  
_  
Mokuba quieted down, his eyes widening. It was the high priest's voice, yes, but not in the flesh. The voice echoed around him, responding to the plea that Mokuba himself had just asked.  
  
"I...I can...?" he asked breathlessly, shaking slightly.  
  
_Trust in yourself...and in your friends...You have my guidance..._  
  
Mokuba blinked, confused. Friends? Priest Seto hadn't needed any friends. He had done his duty by himself!  
  
...or did he?  
  
As the wind died away, Mokuba bit his lip to stop more tears from falling. The familiar voice was too much at the minute, knowing that he could never really ever speak with his dear friend again in this life.  
  
Tears streaming down his face, Mokuba looked up at the sky.  
  
"I'll get the puzzle back!" he declared, sniffing, trying to rub away the tears. "I promise! I'll be strong!"

* * *

Amber gritted her teeth, backing up against Ryuji.  
  
"We don't have enough power to hold them off forever," she muttered, the black-haired goldsmith nodding. "If backup doesn't come soon, we're both going to die."  
  
"I know," Ryuji replied, Orgoth slashing through another assassin. "If only our Ka were stronger..."  
  
Amber let another arrow go flying into a crowd of attackers.  
  
"I can't believe this enemy has so many reinforcements," she murmured, her eyes scanning the crowd. "It's almost unbelievable that all the while that thief's attack on the palace, this was forming in the shadows."  
  
The crowd of assailants grew larger as more and more flocked in. Orgoth was being attacked from every side, and Red Archery Girl now could not interchange between hiding in her protective clam and attacking. There was no longer enough time in between attacks.  
  
Amber let another arrow go loose, reaching her arm behind her and slipping her hand through Ryuji's.  
  
"We'll fight to the end, right?" she asked, her voice shaking somewhat.  
  
Ryuji swallowed and nodded.  
  
"Right," he replied, raising his sword. "It's our duty."  
  
The two began to fight once again, this time with such recklessness that didn't quite match their usual fighting styles. They cut through a great deal of the assassins, but the overwhelming number began to overtake them after a while.  
  
Panting, Amber backed up into a corner, her thin dress torn and her arm bleeding. Ryuji had a nasty cut across his chest and his hands ached from holding the sword for so long.  
  
"Guess...this is it," he muttered as the group surrounded them, Orgoth and Red trying their best, to no avail.  
  
Amber swallowed. How could it all end so abruptly? Guess that was the fickle way of life.  
  
"At least I will die knowing my love will be with me," she thought to herself, feeling a pang of regret that Pearl and Mokuba would be left alone.  
  
She knew Mokuba could probably handle it. He had no real attachment to them, but Pearl...would be a different story.  
  
Suddenly, Amber's eyes widened.  
  
"Ryuji," she whispered seriously, the black-haired man turning to her. "When you married me, we became like one, right?"  
  
Ryuji nodded, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Yes, but what does that have to do with the situation?" he inquired, knowing that the surrounding group would attack any minute with the fatal blow.  
  
"If we are like one, then our Ka can be like one as well!" Amber said, smiling a sly smile. "The power of fusion."  
  
Ryuji's eyes brightened.  
  
"Right," he replied with a grin, nodding. "Orgoth!"  
  
Amber smiled, praying that it would be enough.  
  
"Red Archery Girl!"  
  
She and Duke exchanged a quick glance, then closed their eyes.  
  
"MERGE!" They shouted in unison, and a blinding light suddenly engulfed the area all around them.

* * *

Pearl sobbed, running as fast as she could away from the clearing where Mokuba was, tripping over stones and twigs, scrapping her feet and legs and tearing her dress.  
  
Finally, the white-haired girl fell over a large log, and crashed into the sand and dirt on the ground, still sobbing. She was covered in mud and sand, shaking and cold. And scared.  
  
"M...mokuba," she sobbed, her tears falling and dripping into the sand like droplets of dew from the trees. "Why...why...why is it like this!?" she screamed, feeling like a child.  
  
A child too ignorant and uninformed to know what to do. What was this strange world she'd been snagged into? Only a few hours ago, she had been playing with her friends in the bushes...and now, Mokuba said that she was going to die!  
  
"Help...someone..." The girl whispered after a while, her sobs quieting down, her eyelids drooping as she lay unmoving in the dirty path.  
  
From a few feet away, a young girl narrowed her dark eyes as the white-haired girl. The girl was dressed in a black cape, a dark mask covering her face. Her long black hair hung down on her shoulders as she crouched up in a tree, looking down at Pearl.  
  
"The gold-smith's daughter," she murmured, smiling evilly. "She and that young boy were entrusted with the puzzle. No doubt, the boy may have given it to her to protect while he foolishly fought. Excellent."

* * *

** End of Chapter Five**  
  
PLEASE REVIEW!  
  
Next chapter up **NEXT** week, not this week, since I will be at chess camp. I will be plotting in my free time, rest assured! ! I will start updating all my fics regularly when I return! 


	6. Chapter Six: The Awakening

**Chapter Six: The Awakening**

**Notes: **I know it's been a while, but yes I am continuing the series! Thank you for your patience and your reviews; they are most appreciated.

Enjoy, and leave a nice review.

Chapter Six: The Awakening

Mokuba ran as fast as he could through the sandy paths, his grayish eyes narrowed in determination.

"I have to get that box back," he murmured desperately, clenching his fists as he ran. "Ryuji entrusted me with it, and I won't let him down! This is my way to prove I'm strong...to prove I can help!"

Pearl flopped down onto the sandy ground, her cheeks tearstained as she sniffled, pulling her knees up to her chest and hugging them close to her. Her white dress was streaked with dirt and mud, and her legs ached from running so much.

"Wh...why do you have to be so me...mean?" she choked out in a frightened voice.

_"Stop! Here's the box! Just leave us alone! Leave us alone!!"_

"I...I just want it st...stop..." Pearl cried, tears flowing down her cheeks again as she clenched her fists, laying her head down on her knees.

_"You haven't got a clue! You're such a sheltered little child that you have no idea of the things that are going on around you! You don't know what it's like to lose someone you care about! Your life can be changed in an instant all because of people who just want what they want for their greedy reasons, and they don't care about you!!" _

Pearl continued to sob as the dark, masked woman in the trees looked down at her, an evil smile twisting over her face.

"The annihilation begins now," she mused, leaping down from the tree, her black cape trailing behind her as she landed with a thud on the sandy ground a few feet in front of Pearl.

The white-haired girl gave a startled cry, looking up at the dark-haired woman with teary eyes.

"Wh...who are you?" she whispered, scooting backwards, not willing to trust anyone just yet after what had happened.

The young woman with dark hair smiled, her eyes glinting in the moonlight that shone through the trees.

"I am Zurui," she murmured, stepping close to Pearl, who inched further backward. "And you are Pearl, are you not?" she added, addressing Pearl by the name she'd overheard Mokuba yelling before.

Pearl's brown eyes widened, her tearful gaze rising to glance at Zurui's face, which was obscured by the dark mask she wore.

"Ho...how did you know?" Pearl demanded fearfully, inching further away from the woman.

Zurui smiled beneath her mask, sweeping up upon Pearl like a vampire bat, her black cape nearly engulfing Pearl, who frantically tried to back up more, not liking this woman.

"I know many things, dear child," she mused, her eyes glinting in the moonlight. "Like your "friend," Mokuba. He was mean to you, wasn't he? He shouted at you when you were only trying to help him."

Pearl hesitating, nodding slowly.

"Yeah, he yelled at me," she sniffed, shaking in fear. "I just want all this fighting and all the bad people to go away! I want it all to stop!" she sobbed.

The dark woman smiled, sweeping up upon Pearl like a bat.

"I know," she purred soothingly, putting her slender arm around the young girl's shoulder, realizing that the girl did not have the box she desired. "And I can make it all stop...but I need you to help me first."

Pearl shivered at the woman's cold touch, and hugged her knees together tightly.

"I can't do anything..." she muttered apathetically. "I'm just in the way..."

Zurui smirked.

"You can help me," she continued in her soothing, convincing voice. "Tell me where your sister and the goldsmith are," Zurui whispered in her ear, Pearl cringing. "I need to ask them a few questions. Then you and I can go get back at that mean Mokuba for what he did to you."

Pearl's eyes widened and she shoved Zurui's arm off her shoulder, edging away.

"I don't want to...to...be mean to Mokuba," Pearl whispered through her tears. "I...I just want everyone to happy again."

Zurui smirked.

"And they will be," she declared, rising once again, towering over the white-haired girl.

Bonez smirked, tossing the box up into the air and grabbing it once again.

"This is perfect," he said aloud to his two comrades, who nodded as the group walked along through the brush. "Master Arkana will surely trust us with more prestigious work from now on, and once he's got all these Millennium Items, we'll be working for the new ruler of Egypt!"

Sygore nodded, cracking his knuckles.

"Exactly...-" he began, but he was cut off by an angry shout from behind him.

Raising an eyebrow, Sid turned around, the other two following his gaze over to a very ragged and tired-looking figure who was standing behind a vine. Angrily, the small boy thrust the vine out of his way and marched into the clear so that he was distinctly visible in the moonlight.

"That's _not _going to happen!" Mokuba declared, his black bangs blowing in the nighttime breeze, beads of sweat dripping down his face. "I'm taking...that box back!" he shouted, clenching his fists at his side.

Bonez let out a laugh of amusement.

"You and what army, boy?" he shot back, his body glowing slightly and the Armored Zombie Ka appeared beside him once again. "Have you forgotten what our Ka did to you last time? Or do you just want some more?"

He grinned evilly, his two partners calling on their Ka as well. Mokuba bit his lip, stepping back slightly, losing his confidence all of a sudden. It was the same setup as before. He had nothing to defend himself with, and they'd attack him with all their spiritual power in the form of the Ka monsters.

"Why did he think I could do this...?" Mokuba thought miserably to himself. "Why did he trust me? Why did anyone trust me? I'm going to let them all down..."

"Armored Zombie!" Bonez yelled, pointing forward at the defenseless boy. "Attack him and destroy him!!"

Mokuba squeezed his eyes shut. Why couldn't he have power like they did? Why couldn't he summon his Ka, use all his spirit and strength in a physical form. A bead of sweat trickled down his cheek as all three of the monsters lunged for him.

"I want to help!!" a voice screamed in his head. "I just need someone to show me how!!"

Suddenly, there was a blinding white light in front of him, and Mokuba ducked, putting his arms up in front of his face as a shield. There were yells and inhuman growls from the Ka monsters he could only hope wouldn't rip him to shreds from all around him, and then there was a gasp of shock.

"What is that?!" Came Bonez astonished cry.

Mokuba suddenly felt himself enforced by something; like part of him was growing stronger...and fighting against the mass of Ka attacking him. There was a tug at his spirit...at his soul, and he felt, for the first time, true strength.

Narrowing his eyes, he forced himself to look up at the scene, and saw to his complete astonishment a large figure standing before the three Ka, brandishing a long, jagged sword. The creature's eyes narrowed into white slits, his body rugged and purple-tinged. Mokuba's gray eyes widened as he stepped backwards, in awe of the creature in front of him.

"It...it..." he murmured, eyes wide. "My Ka..."

The creature turned to look behind him, down at the small Mokuba who was standing on the ground. Mokuba shook his head quickly, determined not to let this chance slip through his fingers. Now it was time to prove himself!

"It's...it's a Swordstalker Ka!!" Sid cried, backing up, the three Ka they had summoned lunging at the single Ka of Mokuba's. "I thought this kid couldn't summon his Ka, let alone such a powerful one!"

Bonez gritted his teeth as the three advanced on Mokuba's Swordstalker.

"It's three on one, we can still win!" he declared, but the words had just barely left his mouth when the Swordstalker turned on the three beasts once more, his jagged sword lighting up brilliantly.

Mokuba clenched his fists, determinedly looking on at the battle.

"Swordstalker, attack those monsters and retrieve the Millennium Puzzle Box!" he shouted, the Ka slashing through all three of the attacking monsters at once, destroying them in an instant.

There was a horrid cry as the three pawns of Arkana who had been the owners of the demolished Ka fell to the sandy ground, dead. Mokuba panted as the dust from the attack cleared, looking up at the Swordstalker Ka in awe.

"I...I did it..." he thought out loud, the Swordstalker seeming to smile at him almost as Mokuba staggered forward, feeling drained. "I really did it!"

The boy scrambled over to the fallen Millennium Puzzle box and scooped it up, holding it tightly in his hands. He could almost feel the magical aura rising from it, even separated in the shards inside.

_I knew you could..._

Mokuba looked up, startled. The Swordstalker Ka looked down at him once more before vanishing back to Mokuba's soul room, having completed its duty to his master for then.

Mokuba smiled, looking up at the dark sky.

"Thanks," he murmured. "I won't let them down."

End of Chapter Six

Please review! Next update hopefully up within the next year. (Just joking, I seriously don't know when I'll update. I'll try to make it sooner than last!)


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